Posts Tagged ‘Georgia Meeting Venue’

The comfort and contentment of our business and leisure guests is of the utmost importance to us. We know that everyone has a choice of where they want to stay and we are thankful every time guests choose to stay at our oceanfront resort. After a group or association meets at our resort, we ask the meeting planner to give us feedback on their meeting and visit.

Here is what meeting planners are saying about their meeting or event at our resort:

“Impressed with banquet staff & bell staff. Very courteous!” K.R.

“The King and Prince is a fantastic hotel. My group loved it and we wanted to stay longer.” J.J.

“Our conference setting was excellent, as usual.” C.C.

“We were very pleased with everything. Trina in sales was great!” M.I.

“Outstanding people, very accommodating. We would love to host another event at your resort!” N.R.

“The event was absolutely wonderful!” S.D.

“The whole experience.The golf course was in excellent condition. Rick Maddox & his team do an excellent job.” A.L.

To learn more about groups and events at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, visit our website.

Retreat Room Classroom Setup at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort.

The King and Prince Resort on St. Simons Island is an excellent location for a meeting. We are just steps from beautiful beaches, there are many shops and restaurants just a mile away in the pier village area and we are a little over an hour from both the Jacksonville International Airport and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Along with many amenities such as a business center, restaurant, pools, fitness center and complimentary wireless internet, we offer complete meeting packages for groups! Our two night meeting package is inclusive of all taxes and gratuities and includes:

Lodging

One complimentary VIP upgrade to an oceanfront room with hotel amenity

One meeting room with flip chart and podium

Breakfast buffet for two days

Two morning breaks complete with coffee, tea, soft drinks and bottled water

The next time you reserve your group or meeting, be sure to think about activities that you can do that will assist in team-building and help the attendees get to know each other better. Here are some suggestions for fun activities that you can do right here on our resort property! If you need assistance or would like more ideas, contact us.

Scavenger Hunt: This is a great way for your attendees to not only work together as a team, but also to learn about each other, the resort and the area. Send them out to explore our historic resort, the beach, the restaurants, the village, lighthouse and maybe even the tree spirits of St. Simons Island!

Sandcastle Building Competition: With the ocean lapping at the resort, it is the perfect location to get some fresh air and hold a sandcastle building competition! You can award winners for the tallest and also the most creative sandcastle.

Cooking Competition: Turn our ballroom or event space into “Kitchen Stadium” while you and your teammates battle it out to cook the best shrimp & grits or King and Prince muffins.

Fishing Tournament: There’s no need to get on a boat to catch the biggest fish! Hold a group fishing tournament from the shore right outside the resort’s doors.

SUP Relay Races: Our location on the ocean also makes us the perfect place to hold a stand up paddleboard race! It is a fun way to break a sweat and have a little friendly competition between the teams.

Cardboard Regatta: We will provide the boxes, you provide the man-power. Teams will create their very own “boats” out of cardboard and duct tape. Then, one lucky member of each team will take their boat for a spin in our pool to see which “boat” can float the furthest! (Make sure you take lots of photos!)

Wintertime Polar Bear Plunge: Just because your group stays with us in the cooler months, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun! Along with golf, we will still have many activities available such as sandcastle building, cooking competitions, scavenger hunts and fishing tournaments. The polar bear plunge isn’t as much about team building as it is about cheering each other on and having a good time.

The King and Prince prides itself in being a premier destination for meetings and conventions, no matter how large or small. We have received many awards and accolades over the years for our location, attention to detail, amenities, meeting space and activities. There are many benefits to hosting your company retreat, meeting or convention at our resort, but here are the top 5.

Personal Attention to Detail: From the first time you speak with us until well after your group has departed, our sales team will be with you every step of the way. We pride ourselves in giving each and every group the personalized attention that they deserve. Our sales managers, catering managers and conference services team are always available to answer any questions that you may have.

Accommodations: Budget can play a large role when you are planning a meeting. At The King and Prince, the diversity of our accommodations works to your advantage. We offer everything from standard hotel rooms with a view of the resort to oceanfront villas and even several homes on our property! The diversity of our accommodations makes staying at our resort more affordable for your attendees.

First Class Amenities: Perfect for company outings or free time, attendees will find 5 outdoor pools, tennis and the beach just steps away from the meeting location! The resort also has The Royal Treatment Cottage for massage therapies on the property and an award-winning golf course just a short drive away.

Business Services: All guests at the resort have access to the business center and complimentary WiFi. Copy and fax services are also available at the front desk and iron/ironing boards, coffee makers, work desks and in-room dining menus are in every room in the resort. Laundry services are also available for our guests.

Location: Our beautiful oceanfront location will ensure that guests are able to get the most out of the meeting but are also able to enjoy their free time! Along with the beach access from our resort, we are a little over an hour from both the Jacksonville, FL and Savannah, GA airports and a short drive from I-95. This makes us easily accessible to everyone!

Add some fun to your next meeting or social event with a themed banquet at our resort! Our chef and catering department have several theme banquet menus available and they are more than happy to make a special menu just for your event. Along with themed banquets, we also offer afternoon meeting breaks with themes! For more information on banquets, meetings & events, visit our website.

Although we might be a little biased, we think The King and Prince Resort on St. Simons Island is the perfect place to hold a meeting! From large conferences and small business lunches to training sessions and team building events, we have something for every group size. Below is a snapshot of The King and Prince venue attributes, by the numbers:

1935 – The year The King and Prince originally opened its doors…as a seaside dance hall rather than a hotel.

1 – There can only be one Jason Brumfiel, our Executive Chef. He is a master at bringing a unique combo of Southern classics and modern favorites, with an emphasis on Georgia vendors and farm-to-table cuisine.

2014 – The resort recently finished renovations to the lobby, atrium, and restaurant in 2014, creating a new look and feel in the historic space.

30,000 – The amount of oceanfront property in square feet that the main swimming pools occupy.

Entertainment is an unspoken aspect in planning an educational conference, business convention or a corporate meeting. While meeting planners have no way of controlling a meeting’s topic, it’s the engagement during the meeting and activities outside of the conference hall that eradicate a monotonous convention. Below are six tips on how to engage your attendees and create a more memorable meeting experience.

1. Change it up.

Switch the presentation style every so often to maintain an engaging momentum for the meeting. Alleviate meeting monotony, striking a balance between the presentation, panel discussions, videos, break outs, audience participation and so forth.

2. Reenact lessons learned.

Break up attendants in groups of four to eight people. Using the topic of the conference, assign each group a medium for reiterating the business meeting’s objective. Have one group develop a case study, another YouTube video, a slide show, and other media to reenact lessons learned from the conference.

3. Separate the meeting from eating.

Although it may seem cost effective to schedule working lunches and dinners, clanking forks and wait staff interactions detract from the business agenda. Effective Meetings recommends scheduling meeting and eating agendas separately. Allow a minimum of 30 minutes for a meal.

4. Move around.

It goes without stating that meeting destinations with a few select attractions ease planning. On St. Simons Island, the

Photo Courtesy of GeorgiaTouristGuide.com. A walking tour at Fort Frederica reveals a historical, awe-inspiring account of the clash between the French and Spanish on St. Simons Island.

lighthouse and Fort Frederica make for a great walking tour. Plus, research has shown that moving around can improve concentration!

Wherever the meeting, design a walking tour with plenty of interesting things to review. Optional: Have the attendees make note of three interesting elements to share with the group upon the return to the meeting. If it’s not too much of a stretch, have guests correlate the walking tour to the theme of the conference or corporate meeting.

5. Culinary speaking.

Plan a dinner with the focus on the region’s culinary traditions. Make the dining experience interactive with a presentation from the hotel or restaurant’s chef, historian or even a local vintner.

6. Unusual engagements.

Plan a memorable activity with the entire group. Try to opt for a unique attraction, such as the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Georgia meeting goers can gain an appreciate for sea turtles, as well as other local wildlife. Depending on the time of year, you might just get to take a walk and look for American alligators! Contact the center for more information on groups and seasonal activities.

A collaborative or individual art experience presents another unforgettable outing for group participation. In close proximity to The King and Prince Resort, the Glynn Art Gallery hosts group painting events, with the canvas and paint included.

When choosing a meeting venue, paying close attention to the small details is critical. Asking specific questions when researching a venue and proper budgeting are central to planning a successful conference, expo or other type of business group meeting. Keep reading for tips on corporate meeting planning, plus questions you should ask when selecting a conference or business meeting venue.

Does the meeting venue accommodate the business and travel necessities interests of your group?

From the location of the venue, surrounding activities, free shuttle service to high-speed Internet service, certain amenities may become a haunting detail, if your guests are discontent. Prior to choosing a hotel venue, investigate if there are any activities in close proximity, such as shopping, golfing, tourist attractions. Meeting venues with these amenities simplify your job, in terms of satisfying a variety of interests and pastimes. If you’re choosing a meeting venue and most of the attendants play golf, make sure there’s a golf course nearby.

What is the venue’s Internet connectivity? Is the Internet speed reliable enough to run a seamless presentation?

A business center and peppy Internet connectivity represent the rudimentary requirements of most conferences and business meetings today.

A spokesperson of PlanYourMeetings.com admits to testing connectivity and even arriving armed with her own WiFi port to accommodate up to 200 attendants.

Is every item in the budget accounted for?

Budgeting tends to be a meeting planner’s most critical responsibility. But given the varying terms of each meeting venue, sometimes these budgeting intricacies prove unruly to track, especially when attendants RSVP at the last moment.
Some hotel properties write contracts for meetings and conferences, offering discounts predicated on a guaranteed number of occupants. Prior to finalizing the details, be sure to evaluate how much the budget may change if the estimations are off.

Also, consider meeting venues where the hotel offers to accommodate 5 percent over your guaranteed number of guests. For instance, The King and Prince Resort provides this flexible contingency for meetings and groups.

Are all vendor costs itemized in the budget?

From additional administrative support, chauffeured services to AV technicians, be sure to account for every vendor cost into the budget. One meeting planner exceeded a strict budget by 10 percent, after forgetting to factor in the AV technician’s minimum rate requirement. (Note that some meeting venue properties charge extra for AV technicians).

Does the meeting venue have any food and beverage restrictions?

Note that all hotels, banquet halls, and meeting venues have to abide by state laws. In other words, if a state has legislation on purchasing alcohol before a certain time of day, the meeting venue has to observe that law. When reviewing the agenda, make sure cocktail and social times concur with local drinking statutes.

Is every detail in writing?

Obtain every detail in writing. Once the hotel contract is signed, be sure to request any changes in the contract in writing to avoid any miscommunications and snafus.

For information on meeting venues near Florida or Georgia, explore our meeting package.

We truly treasure when a guest takes the time to write to us about their experience at The King and Prince. Making our guests happy, even exceeding their expectations, is our goal every day. When we receive feedback, such as the following note from a recent conference participant, we are thrilled that all of our hard work has paid off.

To Whom It May Concern:

I have two reasons to be happy this morning. One: I have a short work week (Thursday & Friday), since I was attending a conference for the last 3 days. Two: My conference was held at your Resort. It was hands down the best conference I’ve ever attended. My coworkers are teasing me about my mini-vacation, as they don’t believe anyone could get any work done at an oceanfront resort. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Maybe it’s the salt air, or the ocean breeze – but mine and my fellow attendees’ senses and minds were sharpened and ready to absorb all the new information we learned. I understand your meeting rooms were recently renovated, and they were spectacular – from the Lanier Room, where we had our general sessions, to the Retreat Room facing the ocean, from where a few of us spotted a group of dolphins jumping in the waves. During our meeting breaks, I’d grab a bite, walk out to the pool and relax on a chaise lounge, hearing the waves crash as I responded to emails from work.

Our beautiful room was in the Oceanfront Building – very close to the lobby and meeting rooms, so quite convenient. We sat outside on our private oceanfront balcony early in the mornings, sipping coffee and reading the paper as the sun rose before us. At night, after our excellent dinners (my personal favorite was the pecan-crusted grouper) we were ready to relax. We fell asleep with our door open, listening to the waves. If everyone could live and work in that environment, the world would be a much better place!

The service was outstanding, from the time the Front Desk staff welcomed us with smiles and genuine enthusiasm. All of the dining staff, including the young men who kept up our meeting breaks, were super-efficient and friendly. I never met the housekeeper who cleaned our room (I was always in the meeting), but I was delighted to find a handwritten note from her (Phyllis), welcoming us to the Resort and where to call if we needed anything.

You truly have a wonderful place. My only complaint is that I am no longer there! I will certainly push for our group to return to The King and Prince next year. We’re even considering bringing the kids there this summer for a longer stay – we’re eager to explore St. Simons Island and spend some time by the pool and on the beach.

Yes, this is why we do what we do. This letter seems as good an advertisement as any – won’t you consider giving your meeting attendees this experience?